The disclosure relates generally to an integrated platen scanner and document handler for use as part of a copier, multifunctional printer or standalone scanning device.
Conventional automatic duplex document sheet handling and imaging systems have increased the effective imaging, scanning, or copying rate for both sides of sets of duplex documents. Such conventional automatic document handlers automatically sequentially feed and image a set or job of plural duplex document sheets, while at the same time, these conventional document handlers are capable of feeding and copying simplex documents. A variety of systems and methods are conventionally used in the scanning operation. In a typical scanning operation, light from the scanner illuminates the surface of an original document and the document moving past an image sensor detects the intensity of light reflected from each location in the image and stores it as a proportionate electrical charge at a corresponding pixel location. Various exemplary scanning devices employ stationary Full-Width Arrays (FWA) or linear Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) arrays. In such systems in which the imaging arrays are stationary, the arrays are often separated from the image to be scanned by a platen glass or other transparent surface or lens overlying the imaging array. The platen glass is positioned on an upper surface of the copier and below (and separate from) the document handler. The scanner's document handler can be a multi-pass configuration with just a platen scanner and inverting mechanism, or a single pass device with a scanner in both the platen and document handler.
Document handlers employ various exemplary methods to move the original document to the transparent surface. One such exemplary method, commonly referred to as Constant Velocity Transport (CVT) scanning, employs a belt, roll, drum or other like device to move the image substrate to be scanned across a linear sensor, such as, for example, Full-Width Arrays (FWA) or linear Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) arrays. One or more scanners, printers, video displays and/or computer storage devices are often connected via a communications network, thereby providing a digital reproduction system. For example, a digital copier may incorporate a scanner and a digital printer.
Configurations as described above having the platen glass positioned on an upper surface of the copier and below and separate from the document handler have several disadvantages. For example, for copying books, the user has to position the book with the pages to be copied faced downward so that they are exposed to the image module located below the platen glass. Thus to copy multiple pages from the book, the user is forced to lift the book off the platen glass, turn the page over and then place the book face down on the platen glass again. This can often cause it to be difficult to properly position the image to be copied. Another disadvantage of this configuration is that the often very bright light from the scanner is directed upward toward the user and, as a result, can make using the copier uncomfortable.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a copier that has a moving, or scanning, image module that is directed downward toward the image being copied.